iPhone 6 Specs: What Not to Expect

With an iPhone 6 launch date all but confirmed for September 9th, consumers are starting to prepare for the inevitable iPhone 6 release date. In an effort to prepare consumers, we’ve been revealing our own expectations and today, we want to take a look at what we don’t expect from the iPhone 6 specs when it arrives later this year.

iPhone 6 rumors have been rampant for most of 2014 though they have begun to pick up steam as we get closer to Apple’s usual iPhone release window. iPhone 6 release date rumors, iPhone 6 launch date rumors and iPhone 6 specs have all emerged in the build up to Apple’s launch, a launch that’s expected to take place in just a few short weeks.

In August, reports from Recode, Bloomberg, and The Wall Street Journal have all pegged the iPhone 6 launch date for September 9th. That date is not confirmed but the sources are credible and have proven accurate before. What this means is that we’re likely just a few short weeks away from hearing about the all important iPhone 6 release date in addition to the iPhone 6 specs.

iPhone 6 specs have leaked out numerous times in the past eight months as reports and rumors have attempted to out the new iPhone’s key features ahead of launch.

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On paper, the iPhone 6 looks like it will be a solid addition to the iPhone family and a step up from the iPhone 5s that launched in September last year. While nothing is confirmed until Apple takes the stage, many iPhone 6 specs have firmed up in the days ahead of the Cupertino-based company’s announcement. With that in mind, we’ve started prepping our own expectations.

Yesterday, we took a look at the most solid bets, iPhone 6 specs that are likely to be listed with Apple’s new iPhone. Today, we want to switch gears and take a look at what we don’t expect from the iPhone 6 specs. These are educated predictions based on incessant iPhone 6 rumors, on gut feelings, and on years of covering Apple products like hawks.

At WWDC, Apple introduced new iCloud tiers that offer more storage at more affordable pricing. It also introduced iCloud Drive, a feature that’s coming with iOS 8, and a feature that allows users to access documents across devices just by using the cloud. And finally, it introduced iCloud Photo Library which stores every photo, every video, inside of the cloud.

The iPhone 6 release date should arrive on September 19th, near the Moto X+1 release.

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With this huge emphasis on cloud storage, we don’t really see a need for a 128GB iPhone. Sure, it would have been nice several years ago but now, with all of these new features, it’s going to be an extremely tough sell. That is unless Apple gets rid of a model and puts the 128GB model at $399.99.

We’ve seen rumors suggest that we could see either the 16GB or 32GB models dropped but we haven’t seen any rumors suggest four storage options for both the 4.7-inch and 5.5-inch iPhone 6 variants.

We don’t expect Apple to offer 16GB, 32GB, 64GB, and 128GB options across the board for both variants. With the new iCloud services in place, that seems like overkill.

Expandable Memory

Do not expect the iPhone 6 to come with a microSD card slot for expanded storage. iPhone 6 design leaks have not shown any sign of a microSD card slot. Apple also has a history of using unibody designs. Do not expect the company to try and match the Galaxy S5 or HTC One M8 with this specification. We’ve never seen it before and with cloud storage becoming cheaper and more useful, we probably never will.

Removable Battery

Samsung smartphones like the Galaxy S5 come with removable back plates that allow for easy access to the battery. Users can then install an extended battery for more battery life or easily replace a batter if it suddenly goes dead. iPhone 6 design leaks show a unibody design that will almost certainly come without a removable back which means that we’re not expecting Apple to deliver a removable battery.

We’re expecting Apple to protect the iPhone 6 display with some kind of sapphire material. The company made a huge investment and it’s clear that the company’s future is with sapphire.

If you’re expecting the iPhone 6 display to become unbreakable, think again. While sapphire will help protect it from scratches and minor damage, it likely won’t be the unbreakable display that some iPhone 6 buyers are expecting.

We’re expecting the iPhone 6 display to be the most protected yet but we aren’t expecting iPhone owners to be in the clear just yet. You may not need a screen protector but the display isn’t going to be damage proof.

4-inch iPhone 6

Some of you are probably hoping for a 4-inch iPhone 6. We think you need to temper those expectations. While it would be awesome to see Apple release three different sized iPhone 6’s (4.7-inch, 5.5-inch and a 4-inch model for those with small hands), the chances of that happening are slim to none at this point. Here’s why.

First off, iPhone 6 rumors have focused on two sizes all year, 4.7-inches and 5.5-inches. When there is a ton of smoke, there is typically a ton of fire and so we’re not expecting anything less from Apple at this point. Too many leaks and too many rumors have pointed in that direction.

Second, the 4.7-inch iPhone 6 may not be that much bigger than the 4-inch iPhone 5s. As we’ve pointed out, supposed tweaks to the iPhone 6 design and bezels have seemingly freed up enough space for a more compact iPhone 6 that’s usable with one hand. The larger 5.5-inch model will likely be much bigger but the 4.7-inch iPhone 6 could be only slightly taller and wider than the current model.

And finally, why produce another costly iPhone when you could simply drop the price of the iPhone 5s or iPhone 5c to accommodate those that want a smaller iPhone. We’re not expecting this from Apple and neither should you.

Waterproof Design

Earlier this year, Samsung released the Galaxy S5. The Galaxy S5 comes with a design that is IP67 certified meaning, it offers dust and water resistance to its users. It’s a nice addition to a mainstream, mass produced flagship smartphone and it’s a step in the right direction.

Consumers have been calling for waterproof and dust proof phones for years. And while the Galaxy S5 is not water or dust proof, it does provide a nice level of protection that used to only be aboard obscure smartphones like the Galaxy S4 Active.

While we could see Apple deliver a waterproof or water resistant iPhone design in the future, we’re not expecting one to arrive on the iPhone 6. We simply haven’t seen any credible rumors emerge over the past year or so and iPhone 6 design leaks have not hinted at the possibility. If something is on board a new iPhone, we typically hear at least a little about it ahead of time. A water and dust resistant iPhone 6 would be a huge surprise at this point.

Different iPhone 6 Specs

We don’t expect the iPhone 6 variants to feature vastly different sets of specifications. Beyond the screen sizes, we think that the 4.7-inch iPhone 6 and 5.5-inch iPhone 6 will come with similar similar A8 processors, a similar front-facing camera, a similar rear camera, designs that mirror one another, and all of the smaller bells and whistles including carriers, accessories and more.

Both of these devices appear to be high-end smartphones as opposed to the iPhone 5s and iPhone 5c pairing that we saw last year. The iPhone 5c did not share the same specs as the iPhone 5c as Apple used it as its budget $99 option. The iPhone 6 is rumored to cost $199.99 for a 4.7-inch variant and $299.99 for a 5.5-inch variant.

We don’t expect Apple to skimp on the iPhone 6 specs and we expect the display size difference to be the biggest difference between the two.